You put in the time and then some. You are going above and beyond to deliver the best possible work. Co-workers describe you as positive, enthusiastic, and friendly. Other leaders praise you. So why is it that your boss doesn’t notice your good performance?
Having a boss who doesn’t recognize your efforts and outcomes can be frustrating. If your boss is oblivious to the good performance you produce, it can cause you to disengage, work less, or worse, leave.
Before you lose your loyalty, damage your reputation, and your spirit dampens, understand why your boss doesn’t notice your good performance. Follow these tips to help your boss take notice of your value and contributions.
Unawareness
The farther away the boss is from the front line, the less they know about what is happening.
- Invite them to your area to see what exciting challenges you are solving.
- Ask for assistance with a problem you are working on solving. Don’t just bring issues, make sure you bring solutions. Doing so demonstrates your problem-solving skills.
- Schedule skip-level meetings to give your bosses boss visibility into the front line.
Your boss can’t give what they aren’t getting
Maybe your boss feels they don’t need praise, so no one else needs it either. Or, their performance isn’t getting noticed, so they don’t think to see good performance in others.
- Take notice of your boss’s good performance. Send an email, drop a comment in passing. People are inherently good at reciprocating positive actions.
- Praise your boss to their boss – send an email to your boss’s boss with something specific they did that had a positive impact on you or the business.
Busyness stops your boss from noticing your good performance
Bosses are busy and as a result, don’t prioritize walking about to see what is happening.
- You have to own your one-to-one. Be proactive in scheduling face time with your boss. Have a well-thought-out agenda that provides insight and actionable outcomes.
- Be persistent. One-to-ones will be canceled, but rather than canceling it, move it to another time or day.
- Before hours or after hours are great times to stop by their office. Your boss is likely an early arriver or a late leaver. The best time to randomly stop by to chat with your boss is when the office has gone quiet, and most people have left for the day.
Uncomfortable with praise
Positive interactions can cause the same discomfort as conflict. If your boss isn’t comfortable with providing praise, they will avoid having to do it.
- Make an effort to solicit specific feedback from your boss. Don’t wait for them to seek you out.
- In team meetings, set the tone by recognizing the good performance of a co-worker. By pointing out the good performance of another, people will start thinking of other examples of good performance.
These are some common reasons why your boss is not recognizing your good performance. Using these suggestions to help your boss notice your contributions and value will also deepen your relationship with them.
